conversion 1

[jidat]

hi all,
i'm a civil engineer with 2 years railway experience. i've now developed a taste for petroleum-related engineering, and i'm wondering if anyone can give me tips on areas within the industry that are well suited for someone with a civ eng background. or any good conversion courses i can do (preferably with minimal chemical engineering content).
many thanks!

 

[DrillerNic]

I guess someone with a structural/ civil background would be useful in rig or platform design: looking at the mast/ derrick of a drill rig, riser design, deck loading, that type of thing.

But to be honest, if you want to move upstream and work in petroleum the easiest way to convert would probably be to do MSc in Petroleum Engineering. In the UK, these are designed as 1 year conversion courses for people with an applied science or engineering degree, and the chemcial engineering content is pretty minimal.

 

[zdas04]

In other places it is even easier. Join SPE, read JPT for a few months to get some of the lingo down, and apply for a job. I'm a flangehead who thinks that a well is a pipeline bore that has gone seriously wrong and I get 2-3 job offers to work as a Petroleum Engineer each week. The 1986-2000 depression in the industry has so depleted the ranks of University Petroleum Engineering departments that companies are getting desparate. The majors are accelerating their in-house basic training and taking just about anyone who can see lightning or hear thunder (doing both is prefered, but not essential).

David

 

[jidat]

thanks a lot guys, i'm very very grateful.